SANRASM Chamdor: A Call to Arms

[Steve Appleton]

Posted on behalf of Geoff Pethick:

Call to Arms

Steam in Action has for some years now been trying to get the attention of SANRASM with respect to the deteriorating environment in which a large number of valuable and irreplaceable locomotives have been placed at severe risk. There are three sites - the 'north site', effectively the original SANRASM site, the 'south site' formed when the Krugersdorp to Magaliesburg line was rerouted and the 'Chamdor site'. The latter site has been under constant attack from scrap thieves for some time now to the point where 27 locomotives have now been effectively destroyed and can no longer be moved. The axle boxes have been targeted and cut out which means the locomotives are permanently crippled. All valuable fittings etc, have been stolen. This is no surprise given that there is no fencing around the site, no on-site security personnel or any form of deterrent. Not even a notice saying who these locos belong to. This would not have prevented all the theft, but is symptomatic of the lack of thought and care given to the situation. No doubt the scrap thieves will remove the rest of the steel in short order.

"Steam in Action" http://www.steam-in-action.com has had little success in getting the attention of the SANRASM executive. If anyone knows a SANRASM member or if anybody feels that they can encourage SANRASM to talk to Steam in Action we would appreciate your assistance. A number of proposals have been put on the table to save individual locomotives and to take them to a place of safety as a matter of urgency. All these requests have been turned down.

SANRASM is paranoid about anyone assisting in moving any of the locomotives on their sites to a safer location. In fact it has become apparent that they would actually prefer them to be destroyed where they are rather than to run the risk of talking to other members of the Railway Preservation community. Funds are available to move 10 of the most valuable items to safe locations like Reefsteamers, the Sandstone Heritage Trust and other sites immediately. We need your help to see SANRASM to see common sense. The locomotives that are now under attack are the real gems of South Africa including:

Kitty, the Eskom loco built by Kitson in 1879, for many years South Africa's oldest working locomotive, and proclaimed a National Monument.

La Moye, built by Andrew Barclay in 1907, originally for the Jersey Railway, is now the only surviving locomotive from that railway, on loan from Eskom.

19D 2644, the locomotive used by David Wardale for testing some ideas before the modification of the Red Devil. This loco plays a pivotal role in explaining the development of South African steam locos.

6A 454, donated by SATS and 473 show the development of this class, 454 having the replacement Belpaire boiler while 473 has the round firebox boiler. 454 was in operation for many years and even ran to Magaliesburg on occasion.

14R 1909, one of the best 14Rs around which has done little mileage since overhaul. SANRASM has a dozen or so other examples in woebegone condition from various mines which can provide spares if necessary.

GDA 2259, a small Garratt built by Linke Hoffman and one of the original three donated locos from SATS.

There are others too numerous to mention but one 2ft gauge loco stands out:

NGG11 52, the oldest Beyer Garratt locomotive in Africa and a rare early example of the type. Incredibly this is dumped on the ground outside the SANRASM north site at the mercy of the cutters' torches.

Besides all the other gems still surviving are a collection of passenger coaches dating back to 1897, steam rollers, narrow gauge and diesel locos, tools, freight wagons and a myriad of other stuff accumulated over the years.

Among those already beyond saving are the last Class 14 in original condition and the only remaining example of the SAR J Class tank, the 4-6-4T wheel arrangement being very rare in South Africa, two A Class tank locos, two 7 Classes and twenty or so others.

If you are a SANRASM member the 'leadership' of the group has failed you completely and utterly so please get in touch with Steam in Action via mikematsandstone.co.za (replace 'at' with '@') as this situation cannot be allowed to continue.

Many of you know of my past relationship with SANRASM and I feel it more than most that items I helped to secure years ago are now left at the mercy of thieves and vandals and are going for scrap.

Please act now so we can prevent the loss of a large part of South Africa's rail heritage.

Regards
Geoff Pethick

See pictures posted on this Forum at: http://www.friendsoftherail.com/phpBB2/ ... 215&t=7538

[Dylan Knott]

Well said, Geoff!

I will support any plan Geoff comes up with icw this sad situation.

[Derek Walker]

Guys, after what I saw this morning I am telling you its too late to save whats left at Chamdor, the sleepers have been stolen, the lines have been cut into convenient lengths for carting away, some of those locos will need major work to be able to lift them. Many of them were in a poor condition when I saw them in 2007, they are even worse now. Whoever is doing this knows what they are doing, these are not the occasional thieves with hacksaws, they have cutting torches, heavy trucks, and lots of hands to help move. Virtually all the locos have lost their firebox doors and chimneys, their con rods are gone, their cylinders are going, bearings, boiler cladding, probably boiler tubes, it is really sad. I dont know whether sanrams has laid a charge with the cops, somehow I doubt it. I thought Millsite was sad, McLean street is even worse.
For those who dont know where it is, the co-ordinates are 26° 8'27.47"S 27°48'21.35"E (from Google Earth).
All I can say is, we have lost a lot of our rauilway heritage in the past, not through ignorance, but through neglect of those tasked to look after it. Unfortunately its not over yet.

[Dylan Knott]

Who is reponsible?
Why was it allowed to happen?
Why was help refused?
They cannot scrap items on permanent loan to them. The original donors, if they care, should be informed!

Chamdor locos are history. North and South site lot can still be saved!

Does anyone have a list of the coaches?

[Steve Appleton]

Steam in Action has published an in-depth newsletter on the situation. This can be accessed at:
http://www.steam-in-action.com/images/s ... recampaign

[Dylan Knott]

Henry asked if a case of theft has been lodged with SAPS?
I have no idea.

[Steve Appleton]

I believe that SIA is following up and whether criminal cases have been opened is one of the many things they are trying to determine.

[Dylan Knott]

What worries me the most is its all a matter of time before the dumps at Witbank and Millsite are next!

[Derek Walker]

The really vulnerable ones are Sanrasm North and South sites, large quantities of stuff are standing unfenced and unprotected outside north site, and the fence there is less than thief proof. But Chamdor is lost, the best thing to do there is scrap and take that money to try protect what there is and get that moved to somewhere safer. But, at the end of the day though, sanrasm has to make that decision, and so far they have been very quiet about the carnage at chamdor. It does not auger well for the other 2 sites.

[HenryLazenby]

A moerse bomb has just burst about the Chamdor site. SANRASM has agreed to all locos being scrapped asap and given permission for all other locos at the main site? to be moved by Reefsteamers... Including the Eskom locos etc...
A meeting is to take place at Reefsteamers on Sat at 12:00 to draw up a plan of action...

[James Attwell]

Very, very, very sad! But I think the best thing to do is to scrap the locos at chamdor to raise funds for moving the locos at the south and north site to Reefsteamers. Coaches such as the one Drakensberg coah (guards van), west vaal ( I think) and other "good" condition coaches saved. But what should be moved and saved a.s.a.p. Should be the wardale, 6A 454, 14R 1909.

[Luca Lategan]

EN Kitty!

[Derek Walker]

I cant speak for Reefsteamers, SIA or anybody else, but tomorrow a team is going to randfontein to assess what has to be moved. It does include a number of historical locos and important examples. I dont know if coaches will be included, neither do I know whether the items outside of the fenced areas will be sent for scrap, that's assuming they havent been carted off already. There are lots of ructions going on at the moment and already a press report has appeared about the state of Chamdor. I dont believe the battle is won, the main "protagonist" hasnt been contactable, and he is likely to cause a major scene. It aint gonna be pretty.
However, we mustn't loose hope. SIA has done an amazing job mobilising people and showing what is possible given people with vision. Reefsteamers is also involved and I know they probably will be looking for volunteers when the day comes to move everything, its going to be a major logistical nightmare though as North site is no longer connected to the rails, and at least 5 items have to be moved from there. I am sure South Site is connected somehow, but dont quote me on that.
The problem is, the longer scrapping is delayed at Chamdor, the more steel gets lost, the less money that there will be available to move stuff. If Sanrasm gets icky they can delay it and thats going to be disasterous. I am pretty sure there will be frienzied efforts by those doing the stealing to pillage as much as they can before its too late.
I have no idea if the police were ever called, it would have been reasonably easy to catch some of the scrappers as there are so many, somebody is buying that steel.

[Steve Appleton]

Before anything can be moved by rail, it would have to be fully roadworthy. That at a minimum means a lifting and full inspection of underframe, bogies, wheels, brakes, etc to ensure they are in good mechanical order and within specs. Rubbers, brake hoses, release valves and vacuum cylinders will need to be disassembled and serviced and in many instances replaced. Vehicles with roller bearings may need their wheelsets replacing because they will have stood still way too long. I imagine that most of the coaching stock and wagons are way out of service date and probably also nowhere near roadworthyable as they stand at present.
Unless TFR is feeling generous, it also means that serious access fees will be incurred too.
Probably the only simple and economic way to move that stuff with least effort and bureaucracy will be by road.

[Dylan Knott]

Moving a loco by road is far easier than moving a coach. Cranes are required for coaches and they are not cheap! Average coach weighs 3o tons without wheels so this means 2 x 50 ton cranes are required to lift. Normally works out to around R50k for both cranes per day!!! Excl transport.